


What's Tea Between Deathless?

by Overthinkerwrites



Series: The Eternal Queens [1]
Category: Infinity Blade (Video Games)
Genre: F/F, Post-ending story, Slow Burn, leilindre is black by the way
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-15
Updated: 2016-09-15
Packaged: 2018-08-15 05:30:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,199
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8044252
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Overthinkerwrites/pseuds/Overthinkerwrites
Summary: Deathless are known to be aloof and detatched from the workings of everyday mortals. Isa, curious as to why Leilindre spared her, finds that's not always the case.





	What's Tea Between Deathless?

Isa wasn’t sure why she came back.

By all rights, she had found out the Worker of Secrets’ location, defeated the Worker and all was well.

Well, it was more accurate to say that Leilindre, the Mistress of the End and now Highlord of the House of Kor, had given her the information she needed. She also had spared Isa, given she was far older, more experienced, and powerful than Isa ever hoped to be.

She had no reason to come back.

Yet, here she was, sneaking through and around her guards. She preferred to not bring attention to herself whenever she went stealing, ahem, ‘retrieving’ items during her travels.

Eventually, she discovered the Mistress of the End alone in her room. Instead of her armor, she was clad in exquisite silks and elaborate cloths that seemed to come from lands she had, no doubt, never heard of. Of course, she still had her mask on. Deathless were always so finicky about that.

“While I appreciate your consideration for my servants and guards, you need not hide, Isaline,” Leilindre said with her back turned. “Please, make yourself at home.”

Isa bristled. She hated it when people did that. She let herself down to the floor, noting the open window, the large bed, the small armoire with a mirror. Finally, the table with a small tea set, that seemed to offset the garish lifestyle the Mistress of the End had, was made of simple clay and would no doubt fracture and break far sooner than anything else there.

She sat upon a small chair, reading a book, no doubt priceless, given its apparent age and value on account that a Deathless held one.

“It is rare for me to have guests. Though, I would have preferred to extend the invitation myself instead of you entering of your own accord,” Leilindre said as she closed the book and stood, no doubt a smirk behind her mask.

“Well,” Isa started, finding her voice vanishing in the face of Leilindre’s hospitality. “I never got a chance to thank you.”

“A valid reason,” Leilindre nodded casually.

“I mean, you could have killed me and keep the secret to yourself,” Isa started, almost frustrated at Leilindre’s calm, “but you didn’t.”

Leilindre said nothing, absorbing her words and everything with it. She was no doubt watching her every move and was prepared for any other assassination attempt.

She then surprised Isa again when she gestured to the table. “Shall we have some tea? It was placed here not too long ago and it is usually better when had with company.”

Well, the request wasn’t too bad. Isa looked again to the window, just in case she needed to make a break for it, then, she took a seat, perhaps more clumsily that she would have admit.

Isa bristled again when Leilindre sat down herself, but did it with a grace that made her feel like some kind of brute.

“You are young, Isaline,” Leilindre answered, noting her discomfort, “If you wish, you will learn how to blend into any setting you desire.”

She reached up to the simple white, clay pot, still steaming with warm tea within and poured it into one of the simple cups between them.

Before she could ask, the elder Deathless answered, “it was an offering from one of the daughters of my many vassals. She was a bit younger than yourself, but she was determined to ensure that her gift to me showed her skill at her craft.”

Isa wasn’t sure how to respond to that. The crockery was simple, sure, but why would he accept it when he could have anything she wished?

“Because I saw her determination to create her best,” she answered again, somehow reading her mind as she filled Isa’s cup. “And it was. Then, in secret, I funded her education to create greater works of art for myself and others. This was her first gift. It is why I have treasured this set above most others.”

Isa kept quiet as she continued and filled her own cup. “Most offerings are made by amateurs who wish to earn my favor through and it shows. But this one; she loved her work and wished to do better. She had no shallow aspirations for wealth or power, unlike most. She wished to create and she was genuine.”

She placed the kettle back on the center. “That too is a skill you will learn in time, Isaline.”

“Um,” Isa asked quietly as she looked to her cup, “if I’m not being to forward about it, please call me Isa. It’s easier for me. My full name’s too formal and I’m…”

She could feel the smile behind Leilindre’s mask. “Very well, Isa. Shall I remove my mask first or would you prefer to go first?”

“I’ll go first,” she said as calm as she could as she pulled back her hood, and undid the strap that kept her helm mask on. She felt so exposed, letting her pony tail fall over her shoulders, exposing her sun worn white skin.

“I thought so. Your name hails from the North more than anything,” Leilindre said as she then reached up and did the same as Isa.

Isa’s eyes widened and held back a gasp.

Leilindre’s skin was a pristine dark brown, practically russet colored if she had to be specific. And just as beautiful. Her eyes, yellow as many flowers she had seen before, seemed to peer into her soul.

“It is not often Deathless are able to met as we do. There is always politics, power mongering, and nothing but work to be spoken about,” she said before taking a sip of her cup. “This is nice.”

Isa took a sip of her own cup, her eyes still locked on Leilindre. The tea was sweet, no doubt another delicacy only she could afford, but not overly so. All thoughts of fight or flight gone from her mind as she slowly took another sip.

“What of your family, Isa? Do they still live?”

It broke her concentration over the tea before she answered quickly. “Yes. My father is still the baker and my mother still archives for the city we lived in.”

Leilindre smiled in a way that distracted Isa from her train of thought.

“Are you on good terms with them?”

Isa nodded quickly and tried to keep certain thoughts out of her mind. And so, she continued to speak about small things with Leilindre, trying to keep the desire to be touched by that lovely skin of hers in check.

-

The sun was red in the west as the tea was consumed and many hours of talk was exchanged.

Both Deathless putting their masks on, Isa found it hard to keep the smile off her face, which also matched Leilindre’s.

“This was a very pleasant day, Isa. Would you be willing to return? I would enjoy your company again.”

Isa kept the internal scream of the affirmative in check as she nodded. “I’d like that.”

Leilindre wrapped her robes around her to keep out the chill. “Very good. And I will send an invitation, so you need not sneak in again.”


End file.
